Pasta is everyone’s favorite dish to be served on the dinner table. But sometimes, we all need simple and yummiest recipes that can perk up the taste of pasta. If you have been following me, you must know that pasta is my specialty.
Baked pasta with white sauce was one of my absolute favorites as a kid, and it was probably my first baking from when I was a young teenager. But my genuine cooking interest started in college; I lived with a group of girls, and we decided to make a big meal now and then. My baked pasta was often the winner as it was easy, large, and fun. Eventually, I ventured into pasta cooking and baking, which was a hit.
So, if you have been planning to treat your family to mouth-watering baked pasta with white sauce, you should also surprise them with a finger-licking delicious recipe.
Are you ready? So, Let’s begin!
How to make baked pasta with white sauce?
Baking pasta with white sauce tastes heavenly. The flavors from the sauce and pasta meld magnificently to create a richer and more intense taste. The top layer often gets golden and slightly crispy, contrasting beautifully with the creamy inside. This combination of creamy, cheesy, and somewhat crunchy top makes it satisfying and hard to resist.
The recipe below is the standard way of making luxurious baked pasta with white sauce. It will take time, but why not when you’re longing for delicious flavors? Trust me, you can make the recipe more fun and tasty, too, without putting in an extra amount of effort. So, the recipe consists of three parts- preparing chicken and veggies, making white sauce, and boiling pasta.
Let’s get started!
Cook chicken and veggies:
It’s impossible when you’re talking about meat and forgetting meat. Any ground meat can be used, but you would love a chicken to go with this recipe.
Ingredients:
| Ingredients | Quantity |
| Olive oil | 2 tbs |
| Onion | 1 large |
| Chicken | 2 breasts (cut in cubes) |
| Bell peppers | 2 (dice cuts) |
| Tomato puree | 1tbs |
| Garlic | 2 minced cloves |
| Paprika | 1 tsp |
| All-purpose seasoning | 1tps |
| Oregano | 1/2 tsp |
| Parsley | 1/2 tsp |
| Black pepper | according to taste |
Directions:
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and onions and cook until tender. Then add minced garlic, stir, and cook for a minute.
- Now, add chicken and cook it until it turns white, about 3-4 minutes. Stir continuously.
- Now, combine bell peppers with the chicken mixture and give a good stir.
- Add tomato puree, paprika, all-purpose seasoning, oregano, parsley, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to mixture. Cook until peppers are tender. Set aside.
Find out more: Best vegetables that can boost the flavor of white sauce pasta!
Make the basic White sauce:
Basic white sauce, also known as Béchamel sauce, is easy to make and doesn’t require a long cooking time. It requires a few essential ingredients, which makes it super affordable.
Ingredients to make white sauce for pasta:
| Ingredients | Quantity |
| Butter | 1 tbs |
| Milk | 1 cup |
| All-purpose flour | 1 tbs |
| Kosher salt | ¼ tsp |
| Peppe (white preferably) | 1 pinch |
Directions:
- Take a pan and melt butter over medium heat.
- Add flour to it and stir constantly for a few minutes until the paste cooks, but don’t let it be brown.
- Gradually pour in milk over the cooked mixture. Keep stirring until you have a smooth-thick sauce.
- Finally, add salt and pepper to the mixture and mix well. Turn off the flame and set aside.
Boil pasta:
For this recipe, I am using penne pasta. If you want to know how to boil perfect al-dente pasta, which prevents pasta strands from sticking together, click below to cook it so it remains separated.
How do Italians boil perfect al-dente pasta?
Step-by-step recipe to make baked pasta with white sauce:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Now, you need to start working on the simple combining of the ingredients.
- Start with combining cooked chicken with boiled pasta and mix well.
- Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish. Don’t overfill the dish with mixture.
- Spread white sauce over the pasta. Ensure the sauce is evenly spread. Also, sprinkle cheddar cheese on it. You can also add mozzarella cheese for a burst of flavor.
- Cover the dish with foil paper because protecting the dish is so crucial. Foil paper will help to keep the heat optimum and moisture constant. If you don’t cover your pasta, then it may dry out.
- Baking time for this pasta recipe is 30 to 40 minutes. If you find the cheese unmelted, bake it for 5 to 10 more minutes.
The recipe described above is a standard way of making baked pasta with white sauce. You can make it more fun and delicious, too, by adding no trouble.
Classic tips for making white sauce:
Making white sauce for pasta might seem easy, but people mostly fail to maintain the taste. They either have a fragile sauce consistency, too runny or clumpy, leading to a total sauce disaster. To avoid mishaps on the dinner table, check out these helpful tips!
- Always measure the ingredients before starting the cooking process. Even a minor mistake in the quantity of the ingredients can ruin the entire dish. This sauce’s ingredients also cook very quickly, and you won’t get distracted by measuring the ingredient’s quantity while cooking.
- Always remember that while sautéing garlic, you don’t want it to be brown for your white sauce. Just sauté a little bit.
- While making a white sauce, a catastrophe happens. If you use warm milk, it won’t be lumpy, and it allows you to infuse flavor into the milk. Heat it very slowly to maximize the amount of flavor.
- Add milk gradually to maintain the sauce consistency. Don’t add it all simultaneously because it may ruin the sauce consistency.
Voila! After following these recommendations while making white sauce for pasta, you will have authentic baked pasta ready to smack your family’s lips on the dinner table!
Frequently asked questions
Can any pasta sauce be a pasta bake?
Making your pasta sauce is so easy and affordable that you can turn almost every sauce into a delicious pasta bake. You can add vegetables, meats, or cheeses, sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs or cheese, and bake until bubbly and golden.
What is white pasta sauce made of?
Commonly, white sauce pasta, also known as béchamel sauce, has its origin in Italian and French Cuisines. It is mixed with a smooth and luxurious white sauce made of a few basic ingredients: butter, flour, and milk, which makes it super affordable.
Do you have to cook pasta before baking?
Stop pre-boiling pasta. Instead, soak it for an hour or two before adding it to your baking dish. It will ensure that the pasta is hydrated, and then it can be cooked with other ingredients.
Is baked pasta better?
Baked pasta tastes heavenly, and the combination of creamy, cheesy, and slightly crunchy topping makes it. The top layer often gets golden and somewhat crispy, contrasting beautifully with the creamy inside.
